Q4 2023 results: Navigating challenging conditions and positioning for further growth
Bíldudalur, 15th of February 2023
Icelandic Salmon is the parent company of Arnarlax, and other subsidiaries involved in salmon farming and processing in Iceland. The companies are collectively referred to as “Icelandic Salmon” or the “Group”.
Operations
In the fourth quarter 2023, Icelandic Salmon continued ramping up harvest volumes, up from both the previous quarter and the corresponding quarter last year. The group harvested 7,219 tonnes up from 6,008 tonnes in the fourth quarter 2022, an increase of 20 per cent. The high harvest volume in the fourth quarter was partly a result of the previously reported biological challenges, which prompted the company to harvest early for animal welfare reasons.
“I am proud of our team’s effort in navigating challenging working conditions. As previously reported, our team had to adapt quickly to a biological challenge in Tálknafjörður, where biological challenges posed a risk to fish health and continued sustainable growth,” said Bjørn Hembre, CEO of Icelandic Salmon.
The group reported revenues of EUR 51.6 million in the fourth quarter 2023, compared to 51.7 million in the fourth quarter 2022. The EBIT for the quarter was EUR 2.0 million, resulting in an EBIT/kg of EUR 0.28. The EBIT/kg was down from the corresponding quarter last year of EUR 1.55, mainly due to higher cost level related to the reported biological challenges. A one-off cost of 5.2 million EUR was booked in the fourth quarter 2023, adjusted for this the EBIT/kg was EUR 1.00.
Strategic milestones
Icelandic Salmon continues to monitor markets closely with the aim to obtain the best price possible for its products. Partly for this reason, the company increased its sales to Asia and Europe in the fourth quarter, and reduced sales to the US where markets were temporarily softer.
The Group is awaiting approval for a new 10,000-tonnes farming license in Ísafjarðardjúp, a 4,500-tonnes MAB license in Arnarfjörður and new MAB utilization regime for two sites in Arnarfjörður. Uncertainty persists regarding the allowed share of fertile fish on the Ísafjarðardjúp license and the implications for Arnarfjörður applications under Iceland’s new proposed regulatory regime. A final decision is expected in 2024.
In January, Icelandic Salmon received a new license for its smolt plant Gileyri for an additional volume capacity of 1,000 tonnes. Implying opportunities for increase production on existing capacity levels and a potential for further scale-up.
Within sales and marketing, Icelandic Salmon has strengthened its team with the appointment of Linda Gunnlaugsdottir as the CSO in January.
Outlook
For the year 2024 as a whole, Icelandic Salmon expects to harvest 15,000 tonnes, in line with previous guidance. The spring 2022 generation is performing well and shows significant improvements on key parameters.
For the longer-term, the group continue to see a potential for growth up to 26,000 tonnes on existing licenses. The promising performance of this year’s smolt stocking supports this view.
“We are optimistic about Icelandic Salmon’s future growth, despite recent biological challenges and expected, not yet confirmed regulatory changes. We have implemented effective measures with neighboring farmers to address the biological challenges and maintain an open dialogue with the Icelandic government to navigate regulatory shifts. Our shared ambition is to grow the industry sustainably. We are committed to continue to deliver value for our shareholders, for our other stakeholders and for Iceland,” said Bjørn Hembre, CEO of Icelandic Salmon.
Presentation details
Attached is the presentation for the fourth quarter 2023.
CEO, Bjørn Hembre and CFO, Jónas Heiðar Birgisson will be presenting the results at 8:00 am Icelandic time (09:00 am CET) via a webcast on arnarlax.webcast.is.
The presentation will be followed by a Q&A session. Questions can be sent before and during the presentation to questions@arnarlax.is. A recording of the presentation will be made available on the company’s website.
After the presentation, one-on-one meetings may be scheduled either at our office in Reykjavík (Borgartún 18) or on Teams from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm Icelandic time. If interested, please send an email to hjortur@arnarlax.is.
For further information, please contact:
CEO Bjørn Hembre
Tel: +354 620 1936
Email: bjorn@arnarlax.is (mailto:bjorn@arnarlax.is)
CFO Jónas Heiðar Birgisson
Tel: +354 414 0609
Email: jonas@arnarlax.is (mailto:jonas@arnarlax.is)
About Icelandic Salmon:
Icelandic Salmon is listed at the Euronext Growth. The company is the 100% owner of Arnarlax ehf, the leading farming company in Iceland with their head office in Bildudalur. The company is fully integrated, from egg to the fish is delivered to customers in the market, with control over all parts of the value chain.
See https://www.arnarlax.is for more information about the comp
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